As leaders we all face those times when the plate is overflowing. We have more to do than hours in the day to do it. I’m in one of those times right now. This wave will last for two weeks. It was created by my being away for two weeks in Cambodia, and by special meetings nearly every evening for the next two weeks to introduce an important new initiative at New Life. We all have these periods, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed in the midst of them. What can we do to thrive in the midst of such moments, times or seasons?
Remember to plan. When there’s so much to do, it’s easy to think, “I don’t have time to plan. I’ll use my planning time to get more done.” This is like the lumberjack who decides because he has so many trees to cut down, he doesn’t have time to sharpen his ax. Planning time doesn’t take time it opens us to see what really needs to be done. The best thing we can do in the middle of hectic times is make sure our “to not do” list is full. In other words, if we don’t take the time to prioritize what we must do, we may well end up filling time doing tasks we ought not be doing at all. As Benjamin Franklin is supposed to have said, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.
Delegate. What tasks do you have on your plate that could be done more effectively by someone else? You may not have a staff to help you, but you probably have someone who would like to help you with some of the items on your plate. Over the years I’ve found out that some of the tasks I dread, and therefore which take up a lot of time are enjoyable to others. I hesitate to delegate them because they seem so tedious or mundane or challenging to me, but in the hands of someone else they are enjoyable. If you have a team with whom you work, be sure to delegate the tasks you can.
Did I mention planning?
Stay on task. One of the things I’ve often found myself doing in these hectic times is getting sidetracked by things that don’t matter. The other day I started to listen to the Pirates’ game. (Pittsburgh Pirates for those of you who don’t know.) When I turned on the radio the score was 8-0. The Pirates were losing. I immediately turned off the radio and turned my attention to an audio book I’ve been reading that will help me with the tasks at hand. It was a wise choice. I was in the car anyway, so I could have listened to the Pirates, because I didn’t have anything else to do. My wise decision followed by the action of changing focus meant a half hour used to gain more insight.
Did I mention planning?
Rest. While it seems counterintuitive to rest in the midst of hectic times, staying rested both with enough sleep at night, and sometimes by taking a short nap during the day, means greater focus, stamina, and even staying healthy through the season of greater activity. I’ve been having a challenge with this one, because since coming back from Cambodia my sleep rhythms have been out of balance, but getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night and taking a short 20-30 minute nap sometime during the day, helps most people to focus more fully on the tasks at hand.
And make sure you remember to plan!
Here’s to leading better through the hectic times by planning, delegating, staying on task and resting–today!